Rambling free of Technology

October 30, 2011

Murder of Crows in Flight

Yesterday was a wonderful fall day in Seattle. It’s crystal blue skys, low tide and warmer weather made for a great walk to the beach. On the way I fed my usual Crow Families on MVD. The gimpy crow I call Ellie was there which put my mind at ease that she wasn’t the one that drowned a couple of weeks ago. I was worried that since she has that bad leg she was the one who got bumped in group flight and landed in the drink at high tide.

Today the tide was an average low tide exposing about half of the beach and a few crows were feeding on the seaweed all pushed up from the low tide earlier. When I started to feed the bread I noticed in the distance the local Murder of Crows in the sky zooming around. They heard there was free food to be had and started flying towards me. The first five photos in the slide show attached gives you a good idea of what that was like. The last two photos are of them going back up over the Sound and up in the Madrona Trees. They were having fun for sure.

It is the time of the year that they build up big flocks and the strict territories of the summer disappear. Earlier this week during the day while I was at work, my husband had to chase off this same beach flock from our house. They showed up about 60 strong to beg for bread and peanuts. He said you are too many and threw a small firecracker at them. That ended the party quickly. They are way too smart and finally figured out where we live. I”m sure they will be back and join Mocha’s family who own the territory around us.